Device for



A. G. RI'ESKE. Y DEVICE FOR PLUCKING FOWLS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2I, 1918. 31,823,492a

Patented Dec. 2,1919.

UNED STATE@ 'hl FE ALFRED GEORGE RIESKE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR PLUCKING FOWLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Apygslcation filed December 21, 1918. Serial No. 267,807.

vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Plucking Fowls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for plucking fowl comprising devices for pulling or loosening the feathers and pneumatic means for carrying away the loosened feathers. In such devices the provision of means for pulling or loosening the pm feathers is the most difficult problem to be solved, and the present application relates to means for extracting the pin feathers which will be both effective and durable.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a face view of the under side of the suction head of a fowl plucking device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 an end elevation of the same with the end cap removed;

Fig. 3 a cross section showing the plucking parts in their initial position;

Fig. 4: a similar view showing the parts in the position they assume with a feather partly pulled;

Fig. 5 a similar view showing the gripping member about to disengage from the plucker blade;

Fig. 6 a perspective detail of the gripping device; y

Fig. 7 a perspective detail of the plucker bar; and

Fig. 8 an end view o`f the casing with the outer end removed.

Inthe drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

1 is a hollow suction head provided at its under sidewith a suction opening or slot Q. 3 is a connection formed on the suction head whereby the suction head may be connected with a. suitable suction hose, Across the suction opening is secured a. comb 4, which is preferably formed as a grating, the teeth of the comb being connected at their points Vas well as at their bases and the head between the teeth sharpened to a knife edge.

On the suctionhead and within the same is mounted a plucker blade 5. This blade is soA mountedv to 'be reciprocable to and from a position with its forward edge in an initial feather gripping position, which will usually be along a line substantially coincident with the bases of the teeth of the comb 4. Preferably this plucker blade is arranged to reciprocate on an arc of a circle concentric with the interior wallof the suction head, which is cylindrical.

In the drawings the suction blade is shown as connected to arms 6, to which are connected trunnions 7 journaled concentrically in the ends of the suction head. The outer end 8 of the suction head is preferably made removable for convenience in asssembling the device. The plucker blade is provided with means for imparting to it the reciprocating movement hereinbefore referred to. Movement to the initial feather gripping position is preferably effected b` means of a coil spring 9, which is located ia an annular slot formed in the end 8. One end of this coil spring engages a pin `10 formed on or secured to the outer arm 6 and extending through an arc shaped slot 11 formed in the end 8. The forward end of the slot limits the forward movement of the plucker blade. The other end of the coil spring engages an abutment 12, which abutment is preferably movable in the groove in the end 8 and may be secured in position by meausof a screw 13 engageable with any one of two or more holes formed in the end. By adjusting the position of the abutment 12, the tension ofthe coil spring 9 may be regulated as desired.

To move the plucker blade back from the initial feather gripping position, I employ a movable device which serves also as a gripping device to grip the pin" feathers against the forward edge of the plucker blade. In 'the preferred arrangement, one or more grippers 14 are provided sov carried and moved as to engage with and press back the plucker blade, afterward passing by and releasing the plucker blade to allow the latter to return to its initial position under the action of the coil spring 9. The preferred arrangement is to mount one or more grip pers on a frame A15 jourialed in the ends of the suction head. One journal 16 extends from a bearing in the head and serves for the connection of a flexible shaft or other means of imparting a rotary motion thereto.

While the forward edge of the plucker blade and the engaging faces of the rippers may be given many different orm's which would answer the purpose of myl in vention, I prefer-to bevel the forward edge 17 of the plucker blade inwardly and rearwardly and also to give it a slightly concave form. The forward edge of each gripper is also preferably convexed and the journals of the frame 15 so located that the point of closest contact between a gripper and the plu-cker bar as the gripper bar ispushed back takes place a little back of the extreme edge of the plucker blade and therefore midway between the extreme end of a pin feather and the skin of the bird from which it is being extracted. This arrangement is adopted on account of the tapering shape of the pin feather, which necessitates its being gripped at a point where its di-' ameter is substantially the mean between the two extremes. While the gripper may be a fixture on the frame l5, good results may be obtained by forming the grippers of rollers journaled on the frame 15. In Fig. 4, one gripper is shown as a iixed bar and the other as a roller. It will be noted that the grippersl are separated by a space so that when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a direct passageway through the head'is formed from the comb so that eiiicient suction/,of air is obtained to carry off the pulled and loosened feathers. To insure a constant flow a second opening 18 may be provided in the suction head back of the plucker blade. y

The device is used as follows. The operator holds the bird to `be plucked of pin feathers with one hand and pushes the suction head over the birds skin with the other hand, the comb 4 being maintained substantially parallel to the direction in`whichl the feathers lie. The device is pushed, so to speak, against the grain so that the pro\ jecting ends of the pin feathers are lifted by the forward beveled edge of the plucking blade to a position to be gripped against the blade by one of the grippers. Thereafter the gripper as it moves securely holds the feathers against the blade vand at the same time moves the latter to pull the feathers, which are then, when released by the gripper, quickly sucked away by `the air current maintained through the suction head.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a' suction slot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker blade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; and a co- :blade movable to and from an back of the slot to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; and a cooperating gripper movable to co-act with the plucker blade and maintain engagement therewith during the pulling movement thereof.

3. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having 'a suction slot formed therein and provided with `a reciprocating plucker blade movable to .and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; a cooperating gripper movable to co-act with the plucker blade and to impart the pulling movement thereto by its direct engagement therewith; and spring means tending to `return the plucker blade to its initial position.`

4. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suctionslot formed therein and'provide'd Iwith a reciprocating plucker blade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; a coperating gripper rotatably mounted vto co-act with the plucker-blade to impart the pulling movement thereto by its direct engagement therewith and thereafter to pass by and release the plucker blade; and spring means tending to return the plucker blade to its initial position.

5. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suction slot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker initial feather gripping position in said slot; a plurality of cooperating grippers rotatably mounted on a common axis each adapted to co-act with the plucke'r blade to impart the ypulling movement thereto and thereafter to pass by and release the plucker blade; and

spring means tending to return the plucker blade to its initial position. n l

6. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a. suction slot formed therein and provided with areoiprocating plucker lbllade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot,

saiidblade having its forward edge beveled inwardly yand rearwardly; a coperating gripper rotatably mounted to ooact with the plucker -blade to impart the pulling movement thereto by its direct engagement therewithand thereafter to pass y and release the plucker blade; and spring means tending to return the plucker blade to its initial position. v

7. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suctio head having a suction slot formed therein and provided `with a reciprocating plu-cker blade movalble to and from an initial feather gripping position insa-id slot a cooperating gripper roller; a rotatable frame on which said roller is eccentrically journaled so that by the rotationof the frame it may be moved to co-ac-t with the plucker blade to impart the pulling movement thereto 'and .in alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the latter is" in its initial position.

9. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suction slot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker blade movable in a direction from front to back of the slot to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; a coperating gripper movable to co-act with the plucked blade and maintain engagement therewith during the pulling movement thereof; and a comb located over said opening with the bases of its teeth substantially in alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the latter is in its initial position.

10. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suction slot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker blade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; a coperating gripper movable to co-act with the plucker blade and to impart the pulling movement thereto by its direct engagement therewith; spring means tending to return the plucker blade to its initial position; and a comb located over said opening with the bases of its teeth substantially lin alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the latter is in its initial position.

11. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suction slot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker blade movable to and from an initial feather y, ;ripping r position in said slot; a coperating gripper rotatably mounted to co-act with the plucker blade to impart the pulling movement thereto by its direct engagement therewith and thereafter to pass by and release the plucker blade; and spring means tending` to return the pluoker blade to 'its initial position; yand a comb located over said opening with the bases of its'teeth substantially in alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the latter is Iin its initial position.'

12.y In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suction slot formed therein and provided with a lreciprocating plucker i blade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; a plurality of coperating grippers rotatably mounted on a common axis each adapted to co-act with the plucker blade to impart the pulling movement thereto and thereafter to pass by and release the plucker blade; spring means tending to return the plucker blade to its initial positioiu'and a comb located over said opening with the bases of its teeth substantially in alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the latter is in its initial position.

13. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suction slot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker blade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot, said blade having its forward edge beveled inwardly and rearwardly; a coperating gripper rotatably mounted to co-act with the plucker blade to impart the pulling movement thereto and thereafter to pass by and release the' plucker blade; spring means tending to return the plucker blade to its initial position; and a comb located over said opening with the bases of its teeth substantially in alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the latter is in its initial position.

14. In fowl plucking apparatus, a suction head having a suctionslot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker` blade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; a coperating gripper roller; a rotatable frame on which said roller is eccentrically Iiounaled so that by the rotation of the frame it may be moved to co-act with the plucker blade to impart the pulling movement thereto and thereafter to pass by and release the plueker blade; spring means tending to return the plucker blade to its initial position; and a comb located over said opening with the bases of its teeth substantially in alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the'latter is in its initial position.

` l5. In fowl plueking apparatus, a suction head having a suction slot formed therein and provided with a reciprocating plucker blade movable to and from an initial feather gripping position in said slot; a' plurality of coperating grippers rotatably mounted on a common axis with a clear spaceV between them for' the passage of air and each adapted -to co-act with the plucker blade to impart the pulling movement thereto andv gripper movable. to (zo-act with the plucker blade and maintainl engagement therewith during the pulling movement thereof; and :t comb located over said opening with the bases of its teeth substantially in alinement with the forward edge of the plucker blade when the latter is in its initial positiomthe head of the comb between the teeth being sharpened to n knife edge.

Signed at Buffalo, Erie county, N. Y. this 10 nineteenth day of December 1918.

ALFRED GEORGE RIESKE. 

